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I am on a plane as I type. Things are not going so well as our plane was just diverted to Austin when we are supposed to be heading to Houston. But such is life and I didn’t want to leave you empty-handed over the weekend. These cucumber noodles are the easiest thing in the world to make. They are light and delicious, a perfect summer side for everything for grilled salmon to veggie burgers. read more

Happy 4th of July, everyone! I hope you are celebrating somewhere great with family and friends! Actually, anyplace is great as long as you are with family and friends, right? If you’re with the people you love, that is everything.

We are here in New York this weekend. We were originally planning to hit the road but instead, we are heading out a week from now in search of much needed surf, sand and sun. We are celebrating, nonetheless, and we kicked things off with this gorgeous platter of crudités with some pretty fab vegan creamy herb dip. If you know me well, you know that I love a good dip. This one is one of the best! It’s one of those things I serve again and again and again. No matter the crowd, the dip is always gone, so I feel safe in telling you it’s a winner! read more

These raw vegan raspberry cheesecake bars are EVERYTHING. I don’t care if you are a vegan, a raw vegan or a hell-no-I’m-not-a-vegan. If you don’t make these, you are suffering! Memorial Day is just around the corner and this is an easy, no-cook dessert that is gluten free and refined sugar free. And the taste! Creamy and decadent, sweet but not too sweet, full of fresh raspberry flavor. There is nothing in these that is all that bad for you. Okay, I wouldn’t take a bath in maple syrup just like I wouldn’t eat a tub of cashews but as long as you exercise some self-control and don’t eat the whole tray, you’re fine. read more

This grilled pineapple shrimp recipe is ready to go on this Cinco de Mayo! I don’t know about you but I am ready to celebrate getting through a pretty grueling few weeks. I hope you are as excited about this recipe as I am! read more

These roasted carrots with jalapeño and lime are so so good. Now, historically speaking, I have not been the biggest carrot fan. The cooked carrots of my youth definitely left something to be desired – orange coins characterized by a bland and soggy sweetness. “Eat your carrots.” No thank you.

But I present to you my case for carrots. It’s beautiful to leave a bit of the green tops, don’t you think? I also love that these carrots aren’t peeled. They feel appealingly rustic.

While I am not big on rules, I do have one for carrots. You really need to play against their sweetness. Roasting them with a bit of cumin, coriander and thinly sliced jalapeño is not a bad way to start. The jalapeño really mellows in the oven and it lends a really nice flavor. But the real magic happens when you hit those fresh from the oven carrots with some freshly squeezed lime juice. That’s when the skies open and the angels sing! read more

So if I am being totally, completely honest, my obsession with pickled red onions just might have something to do with my favorite nachos at our local Mexican restaurant. Yes, I eat nachos, and happily, I might add. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a little treat from time to time and nachos are at the top of my list. The tart, crispness of the pickled red onions (and jalapeños – later post) totally make the nachos pop, so I decided to create my own version of them. read more

I am obsessed with this citrus salad! It’s the perfect way to combat the February doldrums. February can a tough month, don’t you think? The holidays are long gone but spring still seems far away, at least here in New York. This winter hasn’t been as bad as some but last February, I watched as huge sheets of ice floated down the Hudson River. Just, no. (I can hear my mother saying, “Well it’s 65 degrees right now in Louisiana.” Thanks, Mom.)

This time of year, when it comes to food, I often want some element of freshness to counterbalance the heavier foods of winter. Enter citrus! Citrus is your friend. This salad is incredibly refreshing, not to mention beautiful. I am a sucker for color and these colors are pretty freaking fab. Take a peak at this closeup… read more

After more than a year of thinking about this little project, I am doing it! Thank you for popping by. I really hope that Kitchen Below Canal becomes one of your regular stops.

So what is Kitchen Below Canal, anyway?

First and foremost, it’s whole foods, big flavors! It’s a shame that the two don’t coexist more often. I also hope that this site is a nice place to hang out for those of you who love to cook. Think of the vibe you have when a bunch of your friends are gathered around the kitchen. I want you to find some of that here.

What is your food philosophy?

I don’t adhere to a specific school of thought on food and there isn’t much that I absolutely won’t eat. I’ve never been much of a “rules” girl so expect Kitchen Below Canal to be a bit of a mash up.

I eat a plant heavy diet but I will probably never be a vegan. There are too many committed omnivores in our home and I happen to like to cook for them. (Plus, bidding a permanent farewell to Louisiana seafood might send me into a bit of a tailspin.) But I hope that my vegan friends feel welcome here. If you click on the recipe link above, you will notice that there is a vegan tab just for you. Paleo recipes will be marked, too, so if that’s your jam, I’ll try to have your back.

Diets aside, I believe in actually enjoying food. This may be a healthful food website but that will never be code for “let’s starve ourselves”. Starving is uncool. You deserve better! We all do. As a mom, I am keenly aware that my children are influenced by the way I eat. I want them to have a healthy relationship with food. I do believe in splurging sometimes. I will probably share some of my splurges from time to time because they’re part of my real life.

Physical nourishment is obviously a huge factor in the way I cook. But beyond that, I see food as a way to connect. It’s a way to connect with others. It’s a way to connect with yourself. Some of my happiest times are preparing a meal for the people I love and seeing them enjoy the food I make. I also like making a meal just for me on the very rare occasions that I have the apartment to myself. But I don’t cook every single night. Some days we have too much going on in our household and some nights, I am just tired!

Cooking is not a contest. If you are the mom who has all that you can handle and you just ordered takeout for the tenth night in a row, please know that I really do get it. I have 100% been there. (It’s easy to take a picture of pretty food but that never shows the mess in the background, does it?) If you have the picky eater, you might take comfort in the fact that I have one, too. He’s not touching my quinoa. It’s fine. I’m not painting a perfect picture here. Real life is complicated.

At the end of the day, we are all just doing the best we can. Let’s let that be enough. We are on the same team.

With all of that said, welcome to Kitchen Below Canal! I hope you like the recipes!